Careers Day
by anorc
Summary: Shorts depicting Minerva McGonagall and various students having career discussions.
1. Chapter 1

Thanks be to JKR, for letting us play in her sandbox.

Minerva McGonagall, et al.

AN: Google translate used to make non-english text, unless there's a joke going on.

What would a collection of tiny vignettes of Hogwarts characters getting Career advice look like?

**Careers Day 1996**

Professor Minerva McGonagall opened her office door and looked out.

Sitting on the wooden bench in the corridor was Hermione Granger. The small bibliophile was sitting nervously, a bulging bookbag beside her, reading a textbook.

"Miss Granger, you appear to be the first student in the queue" said Minerva, definitely not rolling her eyes.

Hermione Granger followed Minerva back into her office, closing the door behind her and sitting down.

"Now, as this is Careers day. We shall have a discussion about what career you aspire to, and I will discuss how that tallies with your progress in classes."

Hermione let got her bookbag strap and started to babble;

"I think I'd like to go into the ministry, into the department for the regulation and control of magical creatures" said the young woman, earnestly.

"Indeed" said Minerva.

"Is that a problem?"

"So your aspiration is to be a clerk, enforcing regulations?" asked the Professor, with rolling R sounds.

"Well, and in time, to update the regulations, to make them better" said Hermione.

"A long term plan then" said Minerva, offhandedly.

"The laws around magical creatures and house elves need to be reformed. They are unjust/"

"And you see legal reform as something you will do from the bottom of a ministry department?"

"How else could I get laws changed?"

"Oh, I expect lobbying your friend Harry Potter will net you two votes. Young mister Longbottom will probably consider your ideas on their merits."

"What?"

"Head of houses have votes in the wizengamot. It has been thus since the founding of the wizengamot. Perhaps if you desire political changes, you might have to learn to, dare I say Politic" said Minerva.

Hermione looked dumbfounded. "But… the department?"

"Does what it is told. The Department heads have votes as well, but the wizengamot is mostly made of heads of houses."

Hermione sighed.

"Given the likelihood of a war in the near future, Miss Granger, you would do well to expend more effort in Defence."

"But Umbridge..."

"And I am sure motivated students might set up study group… Perhaps teaching one another how to defend themselves."

Hermione stared at Minerva.

"Take care, Miss Granger, the Ministry has a lot of people like Dolores Umbridge."

"Yes… Professor" said Hermione.

Terry Boot sat down.

"Mister Boot. Have you turned your thoughts to a career?…."

"I dunno, I'm good at potions"

Minerva coughed "Yes, an O in potions. You could easily get a job making potions"

"That seems pretty simple" said Terry.

"If only all students were so easily placed" said Minerva.

**Careers Day, 1998.**

Twenty days after the battle of Hogwarts.

Minerva McGonagall opened the door to her office. As she expected, Hermione Granger was dozing on the bench seat, propped up by a sleeping Ron Weasley. Mr Weasley was snoring. Minerva shuddered. Young love.

"Miss Granger!" said Minerva, just loud enough to wake her.

Hermione woke up and bolted upright, panting.

"Calm down Miss Granger." said Minerva.

"So your plans for legal reform are back on the fire?" asked Minerva.

Hermione nodded.

"Well, you know plenty of heads of houses. Recent deaths have resulted in many of the heads being younger."

Hermione shut her eyes and sobbed, just once, and forced herself upright and opened her eyes.

"I expect we'll have a lot of other things to do with the war" said Hermione, dark lines under her eyes.

"The funerals, for one" said Minerva.

Hermione nodded.

"I expect great things of you, Miss Granger. Are you coming back to sit NEWTs?"

"Oh yes, Headmistress" said Hermione. "A peaceful year."

Minerva smiled "It's been a pleasure" she said.

"Mister Weasley"

Run nodded.

"I take it you're going into the Aurors?"

"Shack said me and Harry, we should come"

"We are gravely short of Aurors these days" said Minerva.

Ron nodded and moved to stand.

"Have you put any thought into what you will do after the crisis is over? Or are you anticipating twenty years as an Auror?"

Ron stopped and sat down awkwardly.

"I dunno" he said, puzzling over the idea. "It seems a bit far off"

"Two years, maybe three" said Minerva.

"Well, there's always quidditch" said Ron brightly.

"And you feel confident of a professional quidditch position in three years?"

Ron stopped and thought. "Oh, that's not easy, I mean the scouts won't know me…."

"Something to ponder. Now are you considering coming back for a proper Seventh year?"

Ron shook his head "I've got to go to the Aurors. I've already accepted Kingsley's offer"

"When you have time, think of your future" said Minerva.

-==0==-

"Miss Moon"

Lilith Moon sat down nervously.

"Have you any particular ideas as to a career?"

"I thought perhaps an apothecary." said the quiet Slytherin girl.

"Well, there are a lot of destroyed Apothecaries, and you potions marks are very good."

Lilith brightened.

"So I think your idea will probably work out. Good Luck, Miss Moon"

-==0==-

"Miss Greengrass"

Daphne Greengrass sat nervously in the unfamiliar office.

"Your grades in most subjects are quite good. No O's, but quite good. Do you have some idea as to a career?"

"I thought for along time my Father would marry me off to a member of the sacred twenty eight, Maam" said Daphne, quietly.

"And is this no longer the case?" Minerva's face was not suffused with joy.

"Well. A lot of them are dead or in Azkaban" said Daphne.

"And is that something of a relief?"

Daphne blinked owlishly "I am unaccustomed to thinking of a future where I have my own choices."

"You are a capable witch, you are more than capable of a fulfilling career. Do you have any desires?"

"I'd like to… be an Unspeakable" blurted the girl.

Minerva McGonagall smiled thinly "An excellent choice. Though you lack O's. The entry requirements are rather strenuous."

The girl's face fell momentarily, then hardened into a blase indifference. "Do you have any suggestions then?"

"The ministry lacks staff. The Auror office would take anyone with E's… you have E's. Most departments would accept you, and your background would keep most traditional staff happy. If you were to join the Auror office, perhaps in two or three years, you could transfer to the Department of Mysteries"

"But I'm a Slytherin" said Daphne. "Nobody would want Slytherins in the Aurors."

"True, True… There is a lot of anti-slytherin sentiment, though you took care to stay out of the politics"

Daphne nodded.

"Have you considered doing a mastery. Your Runes and Arithmancy scores are promising"

Daphne's brow furrowed. "Could I?"

"Entry into the Department with a Mastery, that would be easier. Not a fiat-accompli, but quite likely."

"And I'd have a mastery" said the girl with a tinge of… pride in her voice.

"I believe you could do one in a year, three at the outside. Do see Professors Vector and Babbling, and see which thinks you are a better candidate"

"What if I did both" said Daphne hurriedly, as if racing her nervousness to speech.

"Would your family support that?"

"Father has quite changed his tune lately" said Daphne blandly.

"See what your Professor think. Don't forget, you could go to the Ecole Magique. I assume you speak french fluently?"

"Oui"

"Well, be on your way, Miss Greengrass."

-==0==-

"Mister Nott."

"Headmistress"

"I find myself surprised Mister Nott. You have managed to avoid imprisonment, and also punishment by the old guard of Slytherin. Your political skills are to be applauded."

"I kept my head down" said Nott quietly.

"And now you are head of house" said McGonagall, tactlessly.

"Yes." said Theo, not sounding very upset.

"So, any career aspirations?" asked Professor McGonagall

"Research." said Theo.

"The ministry, or private?"

"Privately, I seem to have inherited sufficient funds" said Theo very drily

"A mastery in whichever interests you best. Though your grades are not first class."

"I was a little busy this year" said Theo, euphemistically.

"And an excellent effort you made, considering."

"Charms" said Theo.

"I would suggest, you consider alchemy."

"Wherever could I get an NEWT in that?"

"There is a teacher at Beaubatons. Next year there will be a class at NEWT level"

"I was unaware"

"And that is why we have these little chats" said Minerva.

Theo blinked "Thank you, Headmistress. I will attempt to pursue that"

"Glad to be of service."

"Parley vous francias?" asked Minerva as Theo stood up

"Bitte" said Theo and left.

AN: Theo's being a smartass by replying in German to a question in (broken) French.


	2. Chapter 2

**Careers Day 1996**

Thanks be to JKR, for letting us play in her sandbox.

AN: I don't speak nowt but English. All foreign languages are google translated.

Minerva McGonagall, et al.

Minerva McGonagall's office. Late afternoon.

Gregory Goyle sat down.

"Mister Goyle. Have you any idea of a career." asked Professor McGonagall.

"Dunno" said Goyle.

Minerva sighed "Well, Can you join you father's business?"

Goyle's forehead furrowed "Work wif my dad?"

"Yes" said Professor McGonagall.

"Dad says I'm too little" said Goyle, hulking in the chair.

"Is there anything you might like to do?"

"I… I'd like to compose music" said Goyle.

"Music?" asked Professor McGonagall, voice cracking.

"Yeah. I like music." said Goyle.

Minerva McGonagall blinked. "Have you any training in music, Gregory?"

"Jus tutors. I can sort of play the harpsichord, and the recorder" said Goyle.

"The harpsichord?"

"It's tinkly innit" said Goyle. "It's nice"

"Well, best of luck" said Professor McGonagall.

Gregory left the room, to be collected by his best friend, Vincent Crabbe.

They lurched off "Did she buy it" asked Crabbe.

"Yeah. Finks I like Harpsichord, just like mum" said Goyle.

"Draco says our band is gonna be bigger than the Weird Sisters" said Crabbe.

Goyle nodded. Just a few more years, then everyone would see.

They slouched along towards the dungeons, smaller children running to avoid getting into the reach of Slytherin's bruisers.

"We gonna get guitars soon?" asked Goyle.

"Draco says next year. His father will buy us all the instruments, but Potter has to die first." said Vince.

"Fucking Potter" said Gregory. "He ruins everything"

-==0==-

**Careers Day 1998**

Just after lunch.

A flustered Susan Bones enters Professor McGonagall's office.

"Professor" says Susan, sitting down.

"Miss Bones" said Professor McGonagall.

"Sorry I'm late" said Susan.

"Late?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"You did say after lunch" said Susan, looking at the floor.

"It is, just after lunch" said Minerva. "Now, have you any ideas of a Career?"

"Auror office" said Susan bluntly, looking up at Minerva McGonagall, blue eyes watering. "I'm going to the Auror office."

"Ahem" said Professor McGonagall. "Is this something you want to do, or do you fell pressured into it?"

"They killed my Aunt. They're all going to Azkaban, or through the veil" said Susan, her hands white knuckled fists.

"Your grades in potions are, how do I say this, not up to the Auror standards" said Minerva kindly.

"I'm re-sitting after summer. Along with DADA. I've got a couple of Aunties old friends to tutor me." said Susan. "I can do this, I'm not some weak little girl"

"Miss Bones, while your…. Colleagues in Hufflepuff may have concealed Most of your escapades, do not for a second think that as Headmistress I am not aware of your, Hobby of exploring cursed vaults"

"There's no proof I did that" said Susan.

"Yes, Mister Macmillan is very good at cleaning charms." said Minerva.

Susan blinked "You knew?"

"About you and the Hufflepuff three. Yes. Headmaster Dumbledore told me in nineteen ninety two" said Minerva.

"But… we didn't get detentions" said Susan.

"It would hardly be fair to let Harry and co rampage about and not let your four, who were remarkably discreet, continue to have adventures." said Professor McGonagall.

"We never did anything like Harry's crew" said Susan.

"Yes, your team kept Out of the hospital wing. Now that you're not going to be here much longer, I can say, well done. Unofficially, of course"

"Professor McGonagall" asked Susan, who'd straightened up.

"Yes?"

"Why didn't you join the Aurors.. after … after they wiped out your family?" Susan asked.

Professor McGonagall looked down over her glasses at Susan "Unlike my late Husband, I am a schoolteacher, not an Auror. I have always wanted to teach, and thought I could do more good here." said Professor McGonagall.

The Professor took a deep breath and exhaled . "As we are asking personal questions, are you sure you want to follow in your aunts shoes?"

Susan bit her lip "Fifteen" she said. "When I was born, there were fifteen of us in the Bones family. Now, there's just me. Harry bloody Potter has his Godfather, who he hardly knew die, and sulks for a year. My aunt died and only Hufflepuff cared. I'm going to the Aurors, then I'm going to run the DMLE, then I'm going to put every last one of those bastards in Azkaban."

"Perhaps, Miss Bones, you might instead join the DMLE, as a prosecutor. You will start putting… those bastards in Azkaban much sooner." said Minerva McGonagall.

"A prosecutor?" asked Susan.

"I might not be an Auror, Miss Bones, but I spent the last twenty years in an illegal vigilante group. Kingsley Shacklebolt, and we go back along way, if you understand me, needs Prosecutors. People who can follow the law, and not make mistakes. The sort of people who can have adventures for seven years and never get caught." said Professor McGonagall.

"You.. you were in the order of the Phoenix?" said Susan, surprised.

"Not an Auror, miss Bones. We just… collected information, and raided when we could" said Professor McGonagall, proudly.

"And you'd forward that information to me?" asked Susan.

"As a Headmistress, I might write letters to a particularly well behaved former student" said Professor McGonagall, with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh Professor, than you so much" said Susan, a grim smile on her face.

"What are Your trio going to be doing?" asked Headmistress McGonagall.

"Oh they'll be along soon" said Susan.

Hannah Abbott, her hair in pigtails, her lipstick a little smeared sat down, and put her hands on her lap.

"Miss Abbot. Have you any particular ideas for a Post-Hogwarts career? Perhaps a curse-breaker at Gringotts, or a freelance tomb raider?" said Professor McGonagall.

Hannah looked momentarily surprised. "Actually" said Hannah, "I'm.. looking for a quieter life. What with this last year, and the battle… I think I'd like a quiet life." she said.

"And how does Mister Longbottom factor into that quieter life?" asked Professor McGonagall, tilting her head.

Hannah blushed. "We're getting engaged." she said.

"So are you planning to retreat into Longbottom Manor?"

"Oh that would be a bit boring. I'm thinking about managing a pub" said Hannah. "Sort of halfway between too exiting and too boring"

"Drunks, fights, attempted robberies?" said Professor McGonagall, stiffly "Hardly a quiet life"

"Compared with Hogwarts, it's be a vacation" said Hannah, her lips twisting.

Headmistress McGonagall rolled her eyes "The last few years have been an aberration" she said.

"Well, I figure I can get a job running a bar easily, what with… the war" said Hannah.

"So Hogwarts, in seven years has not installed any education in you?"

"Well, I can cut a troll down with two spells, so I've got that going for me, which is nice" said Hannah, a wide smile on her face.

"Does Mister Longbottom know about your trio and you little… adventures?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"Why, Headmistress, what a personal question. Ernie and Justin have always ensured we operated most discreetly, and the cursed vaults were all already explored when we found them. All the Really dangerous bits were gone already, unlike say, murderous Defence Professors, giant snakes and so on" said Hannah, and she smiled. "It was fun, but not too dangerous. Tiding up after Susan was much harder."

"I have already discussed this with Miss Bones" said the Headmistress sourly.

"Well, we're just little old hufflepuffs" said Susan. "And I'm happy not to be one of Harry's trio. Their adventures were just awful"

"That will be all, Miss Abbott, said the Headmistress, shaking her head.

Ernie Macmillan sat down soon after the departure of Hannah Abbott.

"Mister Macmillan, have you any aspiration for a post-Hogwarts Career?"

"Well, I do like potions, so I was thinking about getting into potions manufacturing" said Ernie.

"Yes, Mister Macmillan. Your OWL was rather good, and I hear your NEWT practical was first class" said Professor McGonagall.

Ernie nodded.

"And you've got the desire to have adventures out of your system?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"Well, what with the war, I'm quite prepared to just go to the lab and make potions" said Ernie bluntly.

"With a crup, a wife and two children?" said Professor McGonagall, smiling.

"Perhaps not in that order" said Ernie, pursing his lips.

"Your Uncle isn't going to make you the heir so you can have a quiet life" said Professor McGonagall.

"Professor, I understand that you want to get me to react, to show my true motivations, but. I really would just like to make potions." said Ernie simply.

"Have you heard from Mister Finch-Fletchly?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"Justin and his family have returned from France, and are restarting their lives in the UK" said Ernie.

"Is Mister Finch-Fletchly coming back to sit his seventh year?" asked Professor McGonagall.

"I believe they hired tutors, and Justin sat his exams in Paris." said Ernie. "It was good to know one of my friends was safe"

Professor McGonagall nodded "He was missed."

"We all missed him" said Ernie. "But he was safer there"

"That will be all Mister Macmillan" said Professor McGonagall.

Ernie got up and got halfway across the room before turning "We didn't do it, whatever people said" Ernie said.

Headmistress McGonagall's lips twitched "Mister Macmillan, Did I imply that you, Hannah and Ernie did anything wrong, like explore the cursed vaults?"

"Well, you did mention it to Han" said Ernie.

"And she admitted you two were good at cover-ups. I do hope Mister Finch-Fletchly does not turn to a life of crime"

Ernie snorted "There's little risk of that, Headmistress. His Father's a peer" said Ernie and left.

Headmistress McGonagall blinked. That was news to her.


End file.
